278 REVIEWS 
treats at length “the great raft’—a subject of deep interest to geolo- 
gists(pp. 160-173). He explains its origin, method and rates of growth 
and decay, and describes the effects of such accumulations and of their 
removal. He makes some interesting observations upon the lakes of 
the area, which he classes as: (1) cut-off or horseshoe lakes; (2) lakes 
of enclosure ; and (3) raft lakes. The ‘raft lakes,” it seems, have been 
attributed to a sinking of the land, but Mr. Veatch thinks they have 
been formed by the choking up of the former drainage by the accumu- 
lation of drift timber in old stream channels (p. 188). The activity of 
geologic agents in regions of such sluggish drainage has evidently not 
been realized hitherto, for here in a region at or close to its base level 
“Lakes have been formed and destroyed; streams have .been formed 
and abandoned; waterfalls produced to destroy themselves; new 
streams formed out of parts of the beds of old ones and temporary 
reversals of the drainage systems have been affected” (p. 154). The 
articles on the Five Islands (pp. 213-262) is by far the most thorough 
and satisfactory that has yet appeared upon the remarkable salt depos- 
its of Louisiana. The investigation of the clays by Dr. H. Ries is a 
valuable piece of work done by one of our best authorities on the 
subject. : 
Papers of paleontologic interest are given in the third section by 
Professor Harris upon the Natchitoches area, and upon the Cretaceous 
and Lower Eocene faunas of Louisiana. These papers are illustrated 
by seven beautifully prepared plates. Professor Harris also contributes 
a paper upon meridian lines, and another upon road making. This 
last subject is entitled to the serious attention of the people of Lou- 
isiana. That the geologists are unable to make the most of their time 
because of the bad roads of the state is to be regretted, and the geolo- 
gists have our sympathy, but when many of these roads become such 
quagmires for several months of the year that traffic over them comes 
to a dead standstill, it is a matter that more or less seriously affects the 
prosperity and happiness of the entire population. 
Arthur Hollick contributes a well illustrated and valuable article 
upon the Lower Tertiary plants from the northwestern part of the 
state (pp. 276-288, and 16 plates). 
It is pleasant to see that Dr. Stubbs, the director of the State 
Experiment Stations, under whom the geological survey is being made, 
appreciates the fitness, ability, and enthusiasm of the men who are doing 
the work. Indeed it would have been difficult if not impossible to have 
